ISIS displays five crucified bodies to convey its hold on Mosul

The Islamic State has put five crucified bodies on display at a road junction in Mosul on Tuesday to send the message that it is still in control of Iraq's second largest city.

Residents told Reuters that the terror group has killed at least 20 people who were suspected of passing information to the "enemy" and are now patrolling the streets to enforce its restrictions on the length of men's beards.

Many parts of the city have been reported to be relatively calmer than in the past few days, allowing people to seek food outside.

"I went out in my car for the first time since the start of the clashes in the eastern districts. I saw some of the Hisba elements of Daesh (Islamic State) checking people's beards and clothes and looking for smokers," a Mosul resident said.

The Hisba force is the morality police unit that enforces the terror group's interpretation of Islamic behavior. The unit forbids smoking and Western style clothing such as dresses and logos. The women are required to wear a veil as well as gloves. The Hisba units use specially marked vehicles while patrolling the city.

"It looks like they want to prove their presence after they disappeared for the last 10 days, especially on the eastern bank," the resident added.

The displayed crucified bodies are believed to be a warning against other potential informers.

"I saw five corpses of young men which had been crucified at a road junction in east Mosul," another resident recounted.

"The Daesh people hung the bodies out and said that these were agents passing news to the infidel forces and apostates," he added, referring to the Western allies aiding the campaign and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Shiite-led government.

There are also signs that Islamic State officials are trying to prevent communication with the outside world. A 65-year-old retired policeman who identified himself as Abu Ali said that he was ordered to surrender his SIM card when he went to get his pension.

Meanwhile, a human rights group has accused Iraqi forces of torturing and killing villagers. Amnesty International stated that up to six people from the Shura and Qayyarah sub-districts were shot dead after they were suspected of having links to ISIS.

The group also obtained information that 10 men and a 16-year-old boy who escaped from ISIS were tortured by a small group of men wearing police uniforms on Oct. 21.

The Command of the Federal Police Forces released a statement denying that its officers had killed the villagers.